QUILTER JAN

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

This one is called Fruit Market and was another panel that Mayanrd was able to practice is free motion quilting on--he free motion around the fruit and the squares and it looks real good--I took a close-up, but the quilting didn't show up at all, so I didn't post it! He's trying to practice and get ready to quilt the Forever Flowers applique quilt.

I'm on my last week of Physical Therapy for my shoulder now. What a difference the weeks of PT have made--I'm almost back to normal now, even though some movements still hurt and will probably still hurt for awhile--the doctor says that it takes 4-6 months to completely heal! So I have until at least June to wait. At least I can still sew, so that's a good thing!

Today I'm sewing together the Granny's Garden quilt that Debi gave me the pattern for--the flowers are bright colors and the background is black so the flowers really "pop!" Hope to have a picture for tomorrow!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

This is a quilt that I sewed for my 18 month old grandson, Nathan for him to carry to pre-school for nap-time. I used the "Just Can't Cut It" pattern. This is just the top. It's got all kinds of cars and truck, etc. on it so I know he'll like it--lots of "zoom-zoom." My daughter says that's the kind of noises he and his 4 year old brother like to make in the bathtub at nightly bath time and the noise just echoes off the tile!!! Lots of fun!! So much fun to make these quilts for grandchildren--they would have a lot more if I didn't control myself!!!!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

Except for the outer border which I have to buy, the Old Barns quilt is together and I love it! All those log cabin blocks were worth it, because they really make the quilt in my humble opinion! The 2.5" last border will be black with small tan dots. Now I have to figure out which pantogram I want Maynard to use to quilt it! Since it has a patriotic theme to it, I'm leaning toward falling stars, but may change my mind. Feels good to have this one together!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Bren and I have been talking about barns and she wanted to see my other barns quilt, so here are pictures of 2 barn quilts that I have made--one is a mini quilt--and a covered bridge that hangs with them. Today I'm working on 2 projects at the same time--I'm tying off and basting the parts where I will hand quilt on the Heirloom Romance quilt and when my back screams out in protest to bending over too much, I switch to the sewing machine and sew together the blocks on the Old Barns quilt. I can do 2 things at one time!!!!!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Well, the jokes on me--I started what I thought were Log Cabin blocks in the barns quilt and well, they turn out to be scrappy half square triangles!!!! The red square in the center really threw me off, I guess. The first picture shows the "A" blocks going together and the second picture shows some of the completed "B" blocks. Have to make 52 of these!! These are a challenge and something I haven't done before, so was a learning experience from the "git-go." Guess it's good to learn new things, isn't it?!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

These are the last two barn blocks and now onto the log cabins! The log cabins are made a different way--sew strips together and cut half square triangles--should be interesting! The cows are really standing in a pasture, but I decided since they were the only cows I could find that I was going to pretend that was hay!!! And I had to add a doggie somewhere so put him at the end of the lane waiting to greet visitors to the little blue barn! This has been a very fun quilt so far as you can probably tell!

Today is Sit and Sew day at Quilt Mercantile and I am excited to show off my Heirloom Romance quilt now that it is all together. Show and Tell is a very fun part of SNS. We love to see what everyone else has done and what they are working on at the moment. Seems like the customers like to look, too because there is always someone walking around the tables having a "look-see". We will be so glad when the "addition" is done to the shop so that we can spread out more--there are 30 people on the list of those that come to SNS and every Tuesday the tables are full to overflowing. Makes it cozy and fun!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Big Red Barn and the Hen House are finished and ready for occupancy in the Old Barns quilt! Some chickens moved into the Hen house, but don't know what's in the Old Red Barn yet-probably cows and bossy calves!!! The farm is almost complete with only 2 barns left to do and then I start on the setting of the blocks. The setting includes quite a few Log Cabin blocks, they should go quickly, I hope.

I have come to believe that I am goal or project oriented--rather than enjoying the journey so to speak of the whole quilt--once I get started on one, I tend to want to see it through and can't wait to see it finished. But that's not to say that I can't have other ones going at the same time, because I like the variety of several things going at once--then you are never bored with just one type of project going at one time! Plus it's always good to have some handwork to pick up, too. I really don't think that you should count the projects that are not started as UFOs or WIPs (Works in Progress) because they are still really just ideas, even though you may have the fabric for them, you really don't know EXACTLY what you are going to do with them--right?! So they can't be unfinished because they aren't really started--you follow my logic on this? So if I follow my logic I really only have 4 quilts started or UFOs. If I counted the other way I would have 14+ UFOs. I do like my way of counting better, don't you?!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

I finished the last purse block and sewed the quilt top together--no borders yet because I still have some embroidery to do around the last seams, but the main part is together!!! Can you tell I'm excited???!!! LOL!! (Sorry the picture isn't better, but my quilt holder is at work and I just can't wait to post a pitcure!!!!) This Heirloom Romance quilt has been a lot of fun to do, but I will only do one!!!Now to work on the barn quilt and some more Project Linus quilts--the list never ends, does it--nice to have handwork to pick up to do in front of the TV or when you feel like you can't take another stitch at the machine--I'm sure you know that feeling--or maybe I'm the only one that feels that way sometimes. Seems like I have to be struck with the right mood to sew some days!!!

Do you keep lists of projects you have going on or UFO's? I have tried doing that, but then I forget to add new things and my list never stays updated. I try to keep them in my head, but every now and then I run across a project that I forgot about and then it becomes something entirely new or I think "what in the world did I buy that for?" Guess I need to find a better way--any suggestions? Tell me what you do!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Brewster the Rooster and Betsy Ross the Chicken are now ready to take their places on the Old Barns quilt! And such funky, funny chickens they are--Brewster is plaid and Betsy is very patriotic, as are her eggs! They were very fun to make!

Today was a full house at Sit N Sew Frayed Edges--we seem to add more people every week-everyone hears about all the fun we have and wants to join in--we do have a lot of fun! Today we had lots of Show and Tell which is always a good time. One gal and I had done the same pattern of quilt (Log Cabin Star), but in 2 different colorways and how different they looked! It was neat to hold them up together and compare.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

This is a small wallhanging or topper that I put together for a young couple that are getting married in June--I thought Wedding Rings in their wedding colors would be nice! Now we have to figure out how to quilt it--something small, I guess, since it is only 24" x 24" big.

Now I'm working on more chickens--Brewster the Rooster, who is plaid and Betsy Ross, who is a red, white and blue chicken sitting on red, white and blue eggs--very patriotic!!!! These are for the barns quilt and have more triangles for paper piecing around the outside--oh boy, my favorite--NOT!!! But like I said yesterday--get to it and do it--make that my attitude and they will get done faster!! I guess I need an attitude check--right!!!!??!! LOL!!

It's a nice spring day here--highs in the upper 60's to 70 with the sun shining. A bit windy, but that will dry things out from all the rain we have been having! It's nice to see the wildflowers (although the bluebonnets are not as thick as they have been in years past) and my bridal wreath (spirea) is blooming nicely. Pretty soon the flags (Japanese iris) will be blooming. The winter pansies are still smiling with their gay little faces. They are my favorite!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Two more panels for Project Linus in Memory of Jan J. One is called "Animal Mamas and Babies" and the other is "Nighty-Nite." Maynard quilted both of them with a flying star pantogram. They will be taken to the East Texas Project Linus when we have accumulated enough. Who knows how many "enough" is---we'll take whatever we have the next time we want to go shopping at Stitchin' Heaven the great quilt store in Quitman, Texas which is a designated drop-off point!!!! LOL!!

Today I'm embroidering the last purse block of the Heirloom Romance quilt--it seems funny to be working on the last block--of course there is still lots of embroidery to do, since I want to embroider some of the seams that I sew the quilt together with, but it seems like this quilt has gone quickly, even though I had my arm in a sling after my shoulder surgery for part of the time! Actually it helped the time pass by more quickly that my arm was in the sling because this was something that I could work on, so I'm thankful for that!!! My shoulder is healing nicely and I only have 2 more weeks of Physical Therapy left. Full Range of Motion may be achieved by June which will be 4 months time since the surgery. (That's what they tell me anyway!!!)

Friday, April 11, 2008

Two new blocks for the barns quilts--Rooster on the Loose and Prudence. Two more chickens, four barns and looks like lots of log cabin blocks to go on the barns quilt! These funny chickens were fun to do, but there were more of those paper pieced triangles and more to come on the rest of the chickens, but if I stop complaining and buckle down and just do them it isn't half bad!!!! (Like so many things in life--right???!!!!)

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Log Cabin Star is a jelly roll quilt that is 44" square. It is made with 1 jelly roll and 2 Fat Quarters. Fun and quick to do. The fabric line is called "The Hampton's" and is a very patriotic, nautical type of line. Also shown are 2 pictures of Project Linus quilts; "Life's Joys" and "Wildlife Babies." These will go to East Texas Project Linus sometime soon along with some others. These quilts are done in memory of one of the gals from the Quilting Passion forum who passed away very suddenly last week after a brief illness. I knew her personally since she was a fellow Texan and lived near here. She was also a member of our DFW Gang Guild (A group of people who have met from the Quilting Passion forum who live in this area). She was such a sweet person and we all miss her. Her name was Jan also, and we used to tease a lot about that! Doing these quilts helps us channel our grief into something that can help keep her memory alive and helps others. We have special labels that we are putting on the quilts that say they are in her memory. This would make her very happy, I'm sure!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Purse block number 7 is finished which leaves only one more puse block to go and my Heirloom Romance will be ready to sew together since I have all the other blocks finished!!! YEAH!! Doing the happy dance! Then I will sew some more embroidery on the seams and tie it off and it will be finished! The buttons are true antiques because they belonged to my grandmother--she probably used them several times on clothing that she wore--they have the "used" or "loved well" look about them!

Also finished is the middle block of the old barns quilt. Those triangles took some doing--the pattern called for a freezer paper technique which I wasn't too sure about, so I paper pieced them, but I forgot to trim the extra fabric as I went and didn't think about until I was sewing them on and wondered why they were so heavy--ah well, nothing to do about it now because they are all sewn on, but the next ones I will do the correct way! Why I didn't think of it I'll never know--sometimes we just do things the wrong way without thinking!! I was probably in a hurry to get them done and rushed through it without stopping to think about it!! I bet none of you ever do that!!!! ?? LOL!!!

Friday, April 4, 2008

This is the fourth barn for the barns quilt and is the Hayloft Barn. The cows are grazing in the meadow and the hay is in the barn so it must be summer time! It's such fun picking out the fabrics for these patterns. Sure the cows don't fit exactly, but the Quilt Police haven't stopped me yet!!! LOL!!!

The next picture shows the row of Wild Duck blocks from the Mystery RRRR from Debi's blog. I like the way these look--they play well with the other blocks!

The other quilt picture is called "Happy Day at the Zoo" and is for Project Linus. We will deliver it tomorrow along with another one when we (Debi, Maynard and I) go to the Quitman quilt shop Stitchin' Heaven and participate in a talk along with the Tyler/Longview Project Linus coordinators about our quilts and the Quilting Passion forum. Last week we (Debi, Maynard and I) took Tyler/Longview Project Linus 17 quilts (Debi made 11 and I made 6)and they were so happy to get them. There is always such a need and we love making them. So that's what I am off to do this afternoon--more PL quilts--I have several bundles of FQs that work just right for the Yellow Brick Row pattern and it is such fun and so easy to do --one of my favorites!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Today was a busy day doing some finishing and some "middling" (things I'm in the middle of)! I finished purse number 6 on Heirloom Romance--only 2 more purse blocks to go--yea!!!!! Finished the last block of my string blocks quilt and sewed that together and put it in the "to be quilted pile" which has 19 quilts in it now--oh dear!!!! Also put together 2 blocks of the Mystery RRRR that Debi is doing on her blog--this one is called Wild Duck and was a fun one to put together--I had to rearrange several times before I finally got it right!!! But I sure do like the looks of it--very nice design!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Calico Barn block is another finished block from the Old Barns quilt. These blocks are turning out to be fun to work on even though the roofs take a bit of figuring to do them! Different angles and such make it necessary to do them with freezer paper templates. It's kind of a learn as you go thing for me--I'm learning to take those lines on the freezer paper and the 1/4" seam allowances very seriously!!!!!

Also finished another quilt for Project Linus--this one is called Tea Party in the Park and is quite colorful.

We had a large group at Sit N Sew Frayed Edges today at Quilt Mercantile in Celeste--every chair was filled--lots of sewing and gabbing going on!! We have such a good time together on Tuesdays and really do get a lot accomplished. I finished embroidering another purse block today on Heirloom Romance--just have the beadwork left to do and then only 2 more purse blocks to go! Just a few more crazy quilt blocks to do some embroidery on and then I can sew it together!